Families from across Glendale huddled for warmth under the oversized pine tree across from Fred Haller Jr. Triangle on Myrtle Avenue and Union Turnpike over the weekend to ring in the holiday season.

With help from the Sacred Heart Choir, Queens Metropolitan High School, Queens Dance Academy and P.S. 113, who contributed to the event by creating ornaments for the tree, neighbors sang Christmas carols and children even got to meet with Santa Claus to relay their carefully planned lists.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley joined the Ridgewood/Glendale/Middle Village Lions Club, which put the ceremony together.

“I hope everybody has a very merry Christmas, a happy holiday season and remembers to shop locally,” Crowley said.

Lion’s Club president Connie Santos helped to orchestrate the tree lighting, usher the children to meet with Santa, and hosted the doggy dress-up contest for residents and their festively dressed pups.

Congresswoman Grace Meng joined in the tree lighting ceremony for the first time in her new district, but said events like these are important to not only recognize the holiday season, but to bring the community together.

“This helps our community really feel like hometown America,” Meng said. “Especially to the kids that feel so big, it’s nice to give them a sense of warmth and remind them to be grateful.”